Eighty-eight percent of the 212 individuals arrested in the Los Angeles area this week for immigration law violations were previously convicted criminals.

Over the course of five days, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officers and special agents made the arrests and served 122 notices of inspection (NOIs) to businesses in the Los Angeles area of responsibility. This is in addition to notices of inspection issued to 77 businesses in northern California just weeks ago.

One hundred and ninety-five of the 212 arrested included convicted criminals, those who failed to leave the United States after being issued a final order of removal, and those who returned to the U.S. after being removed.

More than 55 percent of those arrested were serious or violent felons or had been convicted on significant or multiple misdemeanors. Their crimes include child sex crimes, weapons charges, and assault.

ICE Deputy Director Thomas D. Homan remarked:

Because sanctuary jurisdictions like Los Angeles prevent ICE from arresting criminal aliens in the secure confines of a jail, our officers are forced to conduct at-large arrests in the community, putting officers, the general public and the aliens at greater risk and increasing the incidents of collateral arrests.

ICE focuses its enforcement efforts on individuals who “pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security.” This does not mean that any class of illegal aliens are exempt from enforcement actions.

Notices of inspection went to a variety of businesses. “A notice of inspection alerts business owners that ICE is going to audit their hiring records to determine whether or not they are in compliance with the law,” according to ICE. “If the businesses are found to not be in compliance with the law, they will face civil fines and potential criminal prosecution.”

Homan added:

Fewer jail arrests mean more arrests on the street, and that also requires more resources, which is why we are forced to send additional resources to those areas to meet operational needs and officer safety. Consistent with our public safety mission, 88 percent of those arrested during this operation were convicted criminals.

Some of the 212 arrested this week will face federal criminal prosecution, while others will be processed for removal from the United States.